1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a neon light display and more particularly to a neon light system with interchangeable neon light bulbs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Neon light fixtures have been known in the art for quite some time. These types of fixtures have long been used in commercial business establishments such as restaurants, taverns, beauty shops, department stores, liquor stores, drugstores and delicatessens. These fixtures take on many forms such as wall fixtures, suspended ceiling fixtures, stand-alone fixtures, billboards, and window signs. Neon fixtures are also combined with pictures or paintings. Further, household consumers buy neon signs for decorative purposes that come in all types of designs, shapes and sizes. Some fixtures display commercial advertisements, some fixtures are shaped as plants or animals while other have unique designs.
Neon fixtures are usually comprised of a neon light bulb, a transformer for converting 115 volts AC from a wall socket to DC voltage for illuminating the neon light bulb, and some sort of mounting apparatus or stand. They are manufactured and sold as a single unit. This means a purchaser must purchase another unit when the neon bulb no longer functions, the fixture becomes obsolete because of time, vendor changes, product changes or some other reason the purchasers want to change their neon bulb system. This requires a purchaser to buy a new fixture each time, paying the cost of the transformer, the neon bulb apparatus, the mounting mechanism and the manufacturing of these parts into a final assembly. Further, there is no longer any use for the old neon bulb fixture; therefore, perfectly good operating transformers and mounting apparatus or mounting stands get scrapped.
Accordingly, the present invention eliminates the need for purchasing a new neon light fixture, when a person decides to change themes or objectives of their currently owned neon fixture. Additionally, the present invention alleviates the problem associated with scrapping working neon light fixtures.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a neon light system is provided comprising a neon bulb for emitting illumination upon applying a predetermined voltage, cap means affixed to the neon bulb(s) for allowing current to flow through the neon bulb(s) when a predetermined voltage is applied to the cap means, and transformer means for applying a predetermined voltage to the cap means. The transformer means is comprised of a housing, a transformer disposed in the housing, and receptacle means for releasably receiving the cap means and causing electrical contact between the transformer and the cap means. The receptacle means includes holding means for electrically contacting the neon bulb(s) to the transformer means.
The receptacle means is comprised of one or two cavities for accepting and securing the cap means. The receptacle means allows for easy insertion and removal of the cap means and the neon bulb(s), to and from the transformer means. A two cavity embodiment, requires that the cap means include separate caps for attaching to both ends of the neon bulb(s), so that when the caps are inserted they make separate contact with the anode and cathode of the transformer means. A single cavity embodiment will include a single receptacle, that must include a non-conductive partition to electrically isolate both the anode and the cathode of the transformer, and cap means that must include a non-conductive partition to electrically isolate both ends of the light member means. Both the cap means and receptacle means can take on many different complimentary shapes and sizes such as cylinders, squares, key shapes and the like.
The receptacle means, advantageously, will include cavities with inner tabs. This will ensure that when cap means is inserted into the receptacle means, a frictional force is applied to the cap means. This force will hold the cap means and light member means in place, while establishing electrical contact between the cap means and the transformer means. The invention is not limited by this method, but may employ any method that causes cap means and transformer means to have electrical contact and to cause the cap means and light member means to remain stationary.
This invention is intended to be used with neon light fixtures that are wall mounted, suspended from the ceiling, window mounted, self-standing and the like. The neon light system allows for use of a variety of neon light bulb shapes and sizes to interchangeably be used with a common transformer means, therefore, solving the problems with the prior art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a neon light system that allows for different lighting configurations and objectives more inexpensively than present neon light fixtures.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a neon light system that eliminates the scrapping of good fixtures because of the need for new lighting configurations.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a neon light system that allows for interchangeable neon light bulbs utilizing the same neon light base.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a neon light system that is easy and simple to assemble.
Another object of the present invention is to apply these prior objects to neon fixtures that are wall mounted, hang suspended, window mounted or self-standing.
These and other objects will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment taken together with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.